Venetian-blind guide fixture



Feb. 18, 1930.

J. w. DUNN ET AL vans-mu sum) cum: FIXTURE Filed Dec. 1, 1926 Patented, Feb. 18 1930 -UN ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J'OHN W. DUNN AND WILLIAM RUBY, 015' LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN BLIND & SCREEN 00., OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA 'V-ENETIAN-BLIND GUIDE FIXTURE Application filed December 1, 1926. Serial No. 151,945.

This invention relates to means for maintaining Venetian blinds in appropriate adjustment and is especially applicable to those blinds having a header pivoted on its longitudinal axis and wherein the blind slats are suspended from such header and are adapted to be supported horizontally and aslant.

The invention more particularly relates to the combination and arrangements for oscillatably and slidably mounting horizontal members of the slats and guide rails of such blinds, and an object is to provide a simple and strong construction and arrangement whereby the horizontal members of this character may be easily attached to the frame of an ordinary door or window opening.

Another object of the invention is to prevent rattling of the slats, when the blind is unfolding, and to make provision for nesting the slats together compactly in horizontal position at the top of the frame when the blind is fully drawn up.

Another object is to provide guiding means whereby the longitudinal axes of the slats are held in vertical alignment in both the separated and the nested positions.

The invention relates to a Venetian blind fixture, wherein the slats are held in spaced relation to each other and to the header and base bar members; and are guided asan entirety during the operations of raising and loweringthe blind; andto nest the slats in a neat compact assembly adjacent to the top on line m Fig. 2, and illustrating the conof the door or window frame opening when adapted for the reception of fiber guide pieces and roller bearings, carried by the base bar and certain of the slats; means being provided for regulating the tension between the roller bearings and guide fixtures, the said guide pieces and roller bearings being rotatably fixed to the ends of thelbase bar and certain slats, so that when the header bar turns, the pivoted base bar and the intermediate slats, will turn in unison with the remainder of the slats.

Other" objects, advantages and features of j invention may appear from the accompany ing drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claim.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragmental front elevation of our improved Veiietian blind with portions of the casing, the slats being in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line m Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental section struction and arrangement of the guide rails and roller bearings. together with the tensioning element of the latter. Fig. '4: is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal section on line :2 Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental detail section on line wiFig. 3, illustrating the assembly of the slat bearing element with respect to one of the guides.

A mounting block 1, of well known and standard construction is secured to the upper end of a door or window frame 2 and has a header 3 mounted thereon by means of a. bracket 4 and a fixture 5.

A plurality of blind slats 6, of standard a and well known construction and a base bar 7, are suspended from the header in the same vertical plane, by suitable flexlble connections or webs aa. A cord 8, is tramed over suitable pulleys in the mounting block 1, and passes through openings in the slats,

bein connected at its lower end to the base has and is used to elevate and lower the slats and likewise, to hold the same at the top of the frame in parallel nested position.

The header 3 is provided at one end thereof with a gudgeon 9, which is journalled in a bayonet joint 10 in the fixture 5.

The other end of header 3 is shown oscillatably supported in a bracket formed of a single piece of bent sheet metal forming an intermediate attaching plate 11 and journal bearing limbs 12, 13 and 15 supported by the plate, and carrying the gudgeon or pivot pin 14 that is coaxial to the pin 9.

The intermediate plate 11, may be attached to the mounting block 1 by any suitable means as nails or screws, not shown, passing therethrou h into the block 1, and the limbs 12 and 15 epend from plate 11 and are parallel to each other.

The piece of sheet metal on the outer side of the bracket is formed with the parallel limbs 12 and 13 so as to afford a double support for the outer end of the pin 14.

The bracket also forms a hanger for a roller 17, which is positioned between the side members 15 and 16 and is journalled on a pin extending through the outer sidev members 15 and 16. A header bar tilting cord 18 extends over roller 17 and is then wrapped'around the header bar 3 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, and is secured thereto b a pin or screw 19. The cord 18 is adapte for actuation to adjust the position of the header 3, slats 6 and base bar 7, which are normally in planes arallel to each other, to parallel inclined p anes.

Secured to the stiles 20 and 21 of the frame by screws or the like, are tubular guide bars 22 and 23 formed of metal, such as sheet brass, sheet iron or other suitable material. The

- bars 22 and 23 are formed on their inner sides with slots 24 coextensive in length therewith, which communicate with the channeled interior thereof, and are adapted. for the reception of guide blocks and roller bearings carried by certain of the slats and the base bar 7, which will later be more fully described.

25, which are provided with a bearing pin at their medial part, and the side leaves of said plates are secured to the slat ends by rivets or screws 26. The ends of the slats 6 are provided at their central part with openings 27, adapted for the reception of bolts 28, which Qertain of the blind slats 6 have secured to. their opposite ends U-shape metallic plates fiber washers 34, the latter being disposed between the guide members and the said rollers.

Springs are mounted on the portions of the bolts 28 within the openings 27 in the ends of the slats and are disposed between the plate connecting portions 29, and the heads 36 formed on said bolts 28, serve to tension the guide members 30 and roller bearings 32 and 33 outwardly from said plates and into engagement withthe edge portions of the longitudinal slots 24, and with the inner surfaces of the flanges 37 of the guide bars 22 and 23 respectively.

The base bar 7, is likewise provided with similar guide members 30 and roller bearings 32 and 33, which are adapted to travel within the guide bars 22 and 23 as indicated, and the function of the roller bearings and guide members, is to hold the slats parallel toeach other in all planes horizontal and inclined, within the sash frame, and to prevent the rattling of said slats, when the blind is extended.

' In this manner, the slats 6 and the base bar 7, are guided within the guide bars 22 and 23 on the sash or door frame, during the elevating and lowering opertion of the blind, and are maintained against transverse movement relative to the sash frame.

By the provision of the fiber guide blocks and rollers, the elevating and lowering of the blind is pactically noiseless, and the slats are held against rattling caused by air drafts and the like. I

It is obvious, that our improved blind may be adapted for connection to door frames, thus dispensing with the ordinary door closure and affording greater ventilation of rooms.

When the improved blind is used to displace a door, or vin a passage leading from a 'fiber stock to further minimize the noise that is liable to occur during the operation to elevate or lower the blind.

Various modifications may be made in the form and construction of the parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim In a Venetian blind, the combination with a horizontal member of such blind; of U- shaped plates embracing the ends of such member and each provided with an opening to journal a bolt; means to secure the limbs of the U plates to the sides of the member; said member being provided in its ends with openings adapted to receive a'bolt; bolts in the openings; guide members secured to the ends of the bolts respectively; a tubular. guide bar formed of metal and having slots for said guides; guide blocks secured to the bolt and .slidable in the slots and a bearing connected 

